Method, apparatus, and system for implementing user equipment handover

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a system for implementing User Equipment (UE) handover are disclosed. A Mobility Management Entity (MME) obtains address information of a serving Interworking Function (IWF) by interacting with a function entity in a network and notifies the IWF to process handover according to the obtained IWF address information, so that the MME is capable of obtaining the address information of the serving IWF. Therefore, the normal proceeding of a UE handover procedure in a Circuit Switched over Packet Switched (CSoEPS) scenario is ensured.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for implementing User Equipment (UE) handover, comprising:
 obtaining, by an Interworking Function (IWF), address information of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) which a UE is registered with, by interacting with the UE; and 
 obtaining, by the IWF, address information of a Handover Selection Function (HOSF) according to the address information of the MME; 
 sending, by the IWF, address information of the IWF and an identifier (ID) of the UE to the HOSF corresponding to the address information of the HOSF; 
 receiving, by the IWF, a handover request, wherein the handover request is sent by the HOSF to the IWF according to the address information of the IWF and the ID of the UE; 
 converting, by the IWF, the handover request into a circuit switched (CS) handover request. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , the obtaining, by an Interworking Function (IWF), address information of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) which a UE is registered with, by interacting with the UE, comprising:
 receiving, by the IWF, a Globally Unique Temporary Identity (GUTI) of the UE; 
 obtaining, by the IWF, the address information of the MME from the GUTI of the UE. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ID of the UE is an international mobile subscriber identification number (IMSI) of the UE. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sending, by the IWF, address information of the IWF and an identifier (ID) of the UE to the HOSF corresponding to the address information of the HOSF comprises: registering, by the IWF, with the HOSF and sending the address information of the IWF and the ID of the UE to the HOSF in a register message. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining, by the IWF, the address information of the MME which the UE is registered with, by interacting with the UE, comprises:
 receiving, by the IWF, the address information of the MME from the UE when the UE registers with the IWF. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining, by the IWF, the address information of the MME which the UE is registered with, by interacting with the UE, comprises:
 receiving, by the IWF, the address information of the MME from the UE when a CS service is triggered. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining, by the IWF, the address information of the MME which the UE is registered with, by interacting with the UE, comprises:
 receiving, by the IWF, the address information of the MME from the UE when the UE receives the address information of the MME sent by the MME. 
 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for implementing user equipment (UE), located in an Interworking Function (IWF), comprising:
 a Mobility Management Entity (MME) address obtaining unit, configured to obtain address information of an MME which a UE is registered with, by interacting with the UE; 
 a Handover Selection Function (HOSF) address obtaining unit, configured to obtain address information of an HOSF according to the address information of the MME; and 
 a sending unit, configured to send address information of the IWF and an identifier (ID) of the UE to the HOSF corresponding to the address information of the HOSF; 
 a receiving unit, configured to receive a handover request, wherein the handover request is sent by the HOSF to the IWF according to the address information of the IWF and the ID of the UE; 
 a converting unit, configured to convert the handover request into a circuit switched (CS) handover request. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the address information of the MME is obtained from a Globally Unique Temporary Identity (GUTI). 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the ID of the UE is an international mobile subscriber identification number (IMSI) of the UE. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the address information of the IWF and the ID of the UE are sent by the sending unit to the HOSF in a register message during registering with the HOSF. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the address information of the MME is obtained by the MME address obtaining unit from the UE when the UE registers with the IWF. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the address information of the MME is obtained by the MME address obtaining unit from the UE when a CS service is triggered. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the address information of the MME is obtained by the MME address obtaining unit from the UE when the UE receives the address information of the MME sent by the MME. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus for implementing user equipment (UE), located in a handover selection function (HOSF), comprising:
 obtaining unit, configured to obtain address information of an Interworking Function (IWF) and an identifier (ID) of a UE, wherein the address information of the IWF and the ID of the UE is sent by the IWF to the obtaining unit according to address information of the HOSF, and the address information of the HOSF is obtained by the IWF according to address information of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) which the UE is registered with, and the address information of the MME is obtained by the IWF through interacting with the UE; 
 receiving unit, configured to receive a handover request from the MME; and 
 handover notifying unit, configured to send the handover request to the IWF according to the address information of the IWF. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the address information of the MME is obtained from a Globally Unique Temporary Identity (GUTI). 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the ID of the UE is an international mobile subscriber identification number (IMSI) of the UE.